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Ingredients

Makes about 10 cups, serving 6 to 8

1/2 pound (about 1 1/4 cups) dried white beans such as Great Northern, picked over and rinsed
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 pound pancetta (Italian cured pork belly, available at Italian markets and specialty foods shops) or sliced lean bacon, chopped
1/3 cup olive oil
1 onion, chopped
1 large carrot, cut into 1/2-inch dice
1 rib of celery, cut into 1/2-inch dice
3 garlic cloves, chopped fine
2 zucchini, scrubbed and cut into 1/2-inch dice
1/4 pound green beans, trimmed and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1/2 pound boiling potatoes
4 cups shredded green cabbage (preferably Savoy)
1/2 pound kale, rinsed, drained, stems discarded, and the leaves chopped (about 6 cups)
a 28-ounce can tomatoes, chopped coarse and drained well
4 1/2 cups chicken broth (preferably low-salt)
freshly grated Parmesan, garlic bruschetta , and dry-cured sausages as accompaniments

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    In a large bowl let the white beans soak in enough water to cover them by 2 inches overnight or quick-soak them. Drain the white beans, in a saucepan combine them with enough water to cover them by 2 inches, and simmer them, uncovered, adding more water if necessary to keep them barely covered, for 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until they are tender. Add the salt and simmer the white beans for 5 minutes more. Remove the pan from the heat and let the white beans stand, uncovered.

    Step 2

    In a heavy kettle cook the pancetta in the oil over moderate heat, stirring, until it is crisp and pale golden, add the onion, and cook the mixture, stirring, until the onion is softened. Add the carrots, the celery, and the garlic and cook the mixture, stirring, for 4 minutes. Add the zucchini, the green beans, and the potatoes, peeled and cut into 3/4-inch dice, and cook the mixture, stirring, for 4 minutes. Add the cabbage and the kale and cook the mixture, stirring, until the cabbage is wilted. Add the tomatoes and the broth and simmer the soup, covered, for 1 hour.

    Step 3

    Drain the white beans, reserving the liquid, in a blender or food processor purée half of them with 1 cup of the reserved liquid, and stir the purée and the remaining white beans into the soup. Simmer the soup, uncovered, for 15 minutes, thin it if desired with some of the remaining reserve liquid, and season it with salt and pepper. The soup may be made 3 days in advance and kept covered and chilled. Reheat the soup, thinning it with water as desired. Serve the soup with the Parmesan, the bruschetta, and the sausages.

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Reviews (267)

Back to TopTriangle

  • I prepare a very similar version of minestrone, which is my own. It was featured on BuzzFeed and everyone who tries agrees that it is very delicious. I invite you to try it as well. <a href="https://www.italianbellavita.com/2019/11/classic-italian-minestrone-soup/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer ugc">https://www.italianbellavita.com/2019/11/classic-italian-minestrone-soup/</a>

    • Roz

    • Greenville, SC

    • 1/23/2024

  • Made this for years and it's wonderful. I've added and adapted, but still basically this recipe!

    • Ciagins

    • Pacific Northwest

    • 11/4/2021

  • This was really delicious and made a bunch so we were eating for days. A few notes -- we didnt have pancetta so we left it out, which just meant we needed to add some salt. It was still delicious, especially with parmesan sprinkled on top. We also only had a medium sized pot and all the veggies were almost overflowing -- I definitely recommend you use you largest pot. Finally, we didnt have chicken stock so we used bone broth and it was really delicious. The whole recipe takes time but I would definitely make this again.

    • Anonymous

    • New York, NY

    • 11/5/2020

  • I love soup, and this is a new favorite! But I detest bland food, so I added some crushed red pepper with the garlic and some dried Italian herbs with the broth, and when done I added salt to taste. I have to think that made the difference after reading several reviews. Used dried beans with a quick soak. Thought about doubling it but glad I didn't as it makes a TON. No worries. I seem to be eating 2 bowls a day for lunch. :) I prefer it topped with a little chiffonade of basil.

    • alissaclaire7249

    • Geneva, IL

    • 5/1/2020

  • This was just okay. I followed the recipe as described, but used spinach in place of kale/cabbage. I was looking for a "to die for" minestrone recipe. This isn't it.

    • lornakb

    • Monterey, CA

    • 12/10/2018

  • I kept the proportions as written, but added 3 links of Italian chicken sausage, and subbed chard for kale and canned, rinsed Northern beans for dried cannelini. It’s a beautiful, colorful soup with emphasis on the vegetables. It was so thick and hearty with the sausage, I did not bother to blend any beans as a thickener.

    • lovestoputter

    • 1/7/2018

  • OK we made a few changes but this was fantastic! Didn't have pancetta so used bacon, substituted spinach for the cabbage & kale, used canned beans and added sausage. But the recipe as-is is a great start--next time we'll try it exactly as written.

    • vindaloo2

    • Chicago, IL

    • 11/11/2017

  • Delicious! We changed the recipe a bit: we replaced the dried beans with canned beans and boiled them with some bay leaves, the pancetta with Wiltshire bacon (shock, horror), the kale with baby spinach and the green cabbage with a green and red mix. We also left out the potatoes completely. It was very hearty as it is.

    • carienmoolman12229

    • Cape Town, South Africa

    • 5/11/2017

  • Amazing Minestrone 😙 hearty, aromatic, rustic... Perfect for a snowy day. Went to local artisan bread bakery in search of perfect crusty loaf . Mission accomplished. Doubled recipe and froze half for next stormy day.

    • Anonymous

    • Massachusetts

    • 3/18/2017

  • I have been making this for years and have tweaked it slightly for convenience and flavor. I use two cans of white beans instead of the dried beans. I always use fire-roasted tomatoes - it makes a big difference. I add an additional can of chicken stock, plus some water and a tablespoon or two of chicken base. I also add vinegar (either balsamic or red wine) and sometimes leftover wine or sherry to taste, as well as a tablespoon or so of dried Italian seasoning. And definitely add a Parmesan rind during the cooking process. With these additions, the flavor is outstanding and even picky children go back for thirds (!).

    • snap95

    • Richmond, Va.

    • 12/5/2016

  • Excellent. I love making soup and this is one of the best I've made. I followed the recipe except for using ham instead of bacon, canned instead of dried beans, spinach instead of kale, and San Marino tomatoes pureed with the juice instead of drained tomatoes. Delicious and full of vegetables!

    • mbbeatley

    • Alexandria Va

    • 9/28/2016

  • This was super delicious!! I didn't have time to soak the beans overnight so I used canned! I pureed them with a little chicken stock and it turned out just perfect!

    • jamsfraser

    • Victoria, BC

    • 9/21/2015

  • Followed the recipe exactly and was very pleased with the results. Great, simple flavors.

    • userinaz

    • Phoenix, AZ

    • 7/30/2015

  • We love minestrone soup, agree with the need for more 'zing'. Italian sausage from our butcher does very well, and is more readily available. Also, as instructed by my mother (she got this tip from an Italian neighbor in the 50's) added a pinch of sugar to balance out the acidity of the tomatoes.But pleeeeaaase stop already with the kale!! Enough is enough and red chard is perfect for this--much less bitter, just as nutritious, and quite a bit more affordable, since it is not the "green-of-the-year".

    • lm995

    • SFO Bay area

    • 5/5/2015

  • Awesome recipe. I nixed the potatoes, added extra celery, zuchini, green beans and carrots. To thicken sauce I prepared more beans than required and pureed more, and added 4 oz of tomato puree as well. The thick, savory sauce was a real treat. Needed more chicken broth than specified and froze a bunch. It still was great after it thawed out.

    • CookingInChicago

    • Chicago, IL

    • 1/26/2015

TagsSoupSoup/StewItalianEuropeanWhite BeanBean and LegumeVegetablePancettaCured MeatMeatSavoy CabbageCabbageLeafy GreensGreen CabbagePotatoRoot VegetableKaleCanned TomatoTomatoStarterMainLunchDinnerNut FreeMake AheadOne-Pot MealsSimmerBlenderFood ProcessorGourmet

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